Following a four-week jury trial, three Pennsylvania men were convicted on Feb. 7, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment, and disposal of artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Nicholas Dombek of Thornhurst, Damien Boland of Moscow, and Joseph Atsus of Roaring Brook, were part of a larger nine-person network intent on breaking into multiple museums and other institutions to steal priceless works of art and sports memorabilia.

The stolen items included the following:

• A Christy Matthewson jersey and two contracts signed by Matthewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania;
• “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
• Ten (10) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
• Six (6) championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale, stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
• The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
• The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
• Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000, stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
• Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
• Eleven (11) trophies, including four (4) belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
• Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000, stolen in 2006 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
• A 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
• “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
• Two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
• $400,000 worth of gold nuggets, stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
• Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017, from the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, New Jersey;
• An antique shotgun worth over $30,000, stolen in 2018 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
• Various jewelry, rings, and other items from various antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

Five additional co-conspirators pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Former co-defendant Alfred Atsus was acquitted of the three counts against him at trial.

After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators transported the stolen goods back to northeastern Pennsylvania, usually to the residence of Dombek, and melted the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.

They would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.

Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at approximately $500,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy.

The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators.

Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.

The defendants face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of five years for the conspiracy conviction and maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment for each additional count of conviction, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment and a fine.